Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes
Episode #1774 Body Grief: Fight
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Erica Forsyth
Date: February 16, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode continues the "Body Grief" series with a focus on the “Fight” stage, exploring the emotional process of coming to terms with an ever-changing body—specifically in the context of living with type 1 diabetes. Scott and therapist Erica Forsyth address what it means to “fight” against the realities of chronic illness, when this mindset empowers versus when it becomes detrimental, and accessible tools to process and navigate this complex phase of body grief.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
What is the "Fight" Stage?
[01:46-04:54]
- “Fight” is the impulse to “beat” illness, become a “diabetic warrior,” or reclaim control when feeling powerless or overwhelmed.
- Not a linear stage—can recur at various points along the diabetes journey.
- This can be motivational at times, but it can also become problematic, especially when physical and emotional cues are overridden and ignored.
Erica (02:14): “We often are in this stage when we’re feeling powerless perhaps, and we are wanting to regain or take back some of that control that we feel like it’s out of control.”
Recognizing Signs of being in the Fight Stage
[03:39-06:13]
- Ignoring emotional and physical cues (pain, anxiety, apathy).
- Emotional dysregulation: irritability, anger, sadness, anxiety.
- Pushing through (or disregarding) symptoms, especially dangerous lows.
- Becoming easily triggered or angered by external comments or situations.
Erica (03:39): “You are ignoring and overriding any cues that your body is giving you that you’re in pain. And obviously, when I say pain, it could be physical pain, … emotional dysregulation.”
The Detriments of “Fight”
[05:01-08:29]
- Prolonged fighting ignores essential needs and contributes to burnout, emotional distress, and unsustainable routines.
- Bottled-up emotions will resurface elsewhere in life.
- “Fake it till you make it” is not a sustainable method for core diabetes management.
Scott (08:29): “If it’s not true, right, … that is the ill advised side of fake it till you make it. … You can’t fake some things. You can’t just pretend don’t exist.”
Literal and Metaphorical Examples
[09:01-14:14]
- Ignoring glucose alerts or pushing through lows as if “willing” the body to cooperate is risky—cognitive impairment quickly sets in with untreated lows.
- Technology like pumps and CGMs provide support, but do not replace the need to listen to the body’s signals.
Scott (09:33): “Saying you’re going to fight through a low … is like getting shot and going, ‘I’m not going to die, you are.’ … Something more powerful than your will is at play at that point.”
Erica (11:51): “[Ignoring a low,] that’s the cognitive impairment. … When it gets to that point, it’s hard, and that’s when someone’s like, here, you need to eat this thing right now.”
Grief and Chronic Illness Beyond Diabetes
[16:48-20:12]
- These cycles happen with any chronic health disruptions; body grief is universal.
- Control is often an illusion; the emphasis should be on processing experiences rather than seeking to avoid all negative outcomes.
Scott (17:28): “It’s really not about trying to stop it from happening. It’s about navigating it and experiencing it and getting past it and moving on again.”
Societal Messages & Warrior Narratives
[23:25-28:19]
- “You’re so brave!” and “warrior” motifs have value but can dismiss genuine negative feelings.
- It’s possible to simultaneously strive and acknowledge “this sucks.”
- Don’t let societal expectations silence authentic experiences.
Scott (26:44): “People don’t want to be brave. … They don’t wake up in the morning and go, ‘Oh, I hope I am faced with so much turmoil that my only choice is to be brave today.’”
The Balance Between Fighting and Acceptance
[28:19-32:39]
- The tension between controlling versus accepting one’s situation—holding sand tightly versus loosely as a metaphor for acceptance.
- Interpersonal communication: even well-meant encouragement (like “you’re brave”) can land the wrong way if a person is struggling.
Scott (28:19): “Hold it too loosely, it remains where it is. Squeeze it too tightly, it trickles out…”
Concrete Tools & Coping Strategies
1. Planned Rebellion
[33:36-35:28]
- Take intentional breaks from diabetes tech (e.g., CGM, pump) as a conscious reset.
- Permission to make adjustments as needed for emotional well-being, even temporarily.
Scott (35:14): “She’s doing this on purpose. … This is her own little planned rebellion.”
2. The Unicorn Complex
[35:32-37:50]
- Recognize the myth of being “stronger than others” doesn’t equate to perfection.
- Practice gratitude for small wins and allow for humanness.
Erica (35:32): “We are not unicorns, we are humans… finding small or big things that you can be grateful for.”
3. Choose Your Battles (and Build Body Trust)
[39:26-41:41]
- Learn to ask for accommodations (at work, school, home).
- Sometimes “fighting” means advocating for your own rest and self-care, not just “pushing through.”
Quote Read by Erica (40:08):
“Sometimes strength and being a warrior means fighting for rest and self care instead of fighting with myself to avoid being different than people who don’t have disabilities.”
4. Setting Boundaries
[43:15-48:41]
- Don’t let fear or stigma prevent you from prioritizing your needs.
- Sometimes, setting boundaries requires assertiveness—even bluntness, as Scott humorously discusses.
Scott (44:17): “I would say maybe once in a while you gotta tell people to shut the… shut up. I’m over here trying to deal with a thing.”
5. Envy & the Need to Move Through It
[49:36-51:07]
- Acknowledge envy (toward others’ “perfect” CGM graphs or easier lives); it’s natural but stagnation in envy leads to shame and keeps you in “fight.”
6. JOMO – The Joy of Missing Out
[51:07-53:39]
- Sometimes, the best self-care is to decline participation or obligations for physical/emotional well-being.
- There is joy in making intentional, healthy choices—even if it means missing out.
- Caution: discern between needed rest and self-imposed isolation.
Erica (51:07): “Can you reframe that as like … I’m gonna give my body what it needs… can that be experienced as joyful instead of fearful?”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the adrenaline of “fight”:
“It’s almost the equivalent of just kind of running on adrenaline until it’s gone and then you realize your leg’s broke and you fall over.”
—Scott, [05:36] -
On “brave” messaging:
“You’re so brave. My kids are so brave. And that’s not… not true. Of course it’s true. But also, people don’t want to be brave.”
—Scott, [26:44] -
On planned rebellion:
“This is her own little planned rebellion … she’s taking a moment and saying, I know I need this thing … but I am just going to make a conscious decision not to wear it, even if it’s just for a half an hour or so.”
—Scott, [35:14] -
On the community value:
“There’s so much value in that because you don’t have to explain and you can be vulnerable without having to justify or you don’t have to present as I’ve got it all together.”
—Erica, [23:16] -
On boundary setting (Scott’s version):
“Sometimes you say making space or boundary setting… For people who, that is uncomfortable for because they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s therapy talk.’ Just tell people to go to hell.”
—Scott, [44:17]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [01:46] – Defining “Fight” in body grief
- [03:39] – Physical and emotional symptoms
- [09:01] – Pushing through lows: risks and realities
- [17:28] – Why “fighting” isn’t always the answer
- [23:25] – Harm and value in “brave” and “warrior” narratives
- [33:36] – Practical tools to process and move through the fight stage
- [35:32] – The unicorn complex and gratitude
- [39:26] – Choosing battles and advocating for self
- [51:07] – JOMO: Joy of Missing Out
Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
- The “fight” stage is a normal, recurring part of life with diabetes (and chronic illness more broadly) but ignoring your own needs isn’t sustainable.
- Listen to your body—fighting endlessly causes burnout.
- It’s okay (even healthy) to rest, rebel, ask for help, and express frustration.
- Recognizing and honoring all feelings, including negative ones, is critical to processing body grief.
- Self-advocacy, self-compassion, gratitude, and community are essential in making chronic illness more livable.
Erica ([54:16]): “Our hope is that the end of each of these episodes we are giving some tools to kind of work through the stage and at the end, obviously focusing on cultivating more hope, cultivating more body trust…”
Summary prepared for listeners seeking a complete, insightful rundown of the conversation, emphasizing empathy, advocacy, and practical self-care for life with diabetes.